Tip of snout red after a shed

[ImNotYogi]

I've had Archer since August and normally when I notice he's about to shed I give him a light mist. Just to be safe. I noticed he was about to shed late last night but didn't mist. This morning I noticed his snout was red and he also had skin stuck to the top of his head and on one of his toes. I got those off but I'm a little concerned about the redness. It doesn't appear to be stuck skin, so did he just lick his nose a little raw?

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Do you have a pic?

~Maggot

 

[ImNotYogi]

I've been applying some warm water to it with a q-tip in case it is skin. I didn't think it is because the bits that were around his toe was still translucent.

 

[SC Geckos]

Sort of looks chapped. Perhaps he has been rubbing he nose against something in the enclosure possibly trying to remove shed skin. Does he have a humid hide to assist with his sheds?

 

[ImNotYogi]

I stopped using a humid hide a few months ago when I decided to just lightly mist him when he's about to shed. I didn't do it this time but there were other times where I didn't but he always got all of the shed when I checked him. I've been running a space heater recently and I guess that sucked some moisture out of the air.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

I would strongly suggest adding a humid hide again. Misting might help raise humidity a little for a short while, but it's no substitute for an area of high humidity. Plus they don't just use it for shedding but also for hydration.

~Maggot

 

[SC Geckos]

I believe that is the issue. In the winter time the humidity drops drastically. I would recommend using a humid hide all year round because misting the cage only adds humidity for a very short period of time where as a humid hide keeps the humidity up in a small area for much longer. If you choose to not use one year round at least use one in the winter months.
The place on his nose looks like it is cracking open a little bit so make sure you keep the area clean and give him a humid hide so it doesn't dry out too much and crack open while it heals.

 

[ImNotYogi]

I've re-added the humid hide. His nose isn't as red in person and it's gotten a little better since yesterday but I still don't like the look of it. I've been dabbing it with warm water on occasion.

 

[Ozy]

Put some triple antibiotic ointment on it. The kind WITHOUT the pain reliever. The water is just drying it out more. Like when your lips are chapped and you keep licking them, they get more chapped.

 

[ImNotYogi]

I have Neosporin but it says "+ pain relief" so can vaseline or something like a hemorrhoid ointment suffice until I can grab something tomorrow?

 

[Ozy]

I would think a bit of Vaseline won't hurt it for tonight. But I would definitely go get some triple antibiotic ointment.

 

[Phoenix1115]

He might lick it off though. Do we know it's not harmful if ingested?

I've said this before but got a little sass for it but I'm going to say it again. With all my animals, reptile and mammal alike, for small injuries like this, I put a tiny dab of honey on them. It's not very commonly known, but honey is a natural antibiotic. Since it's so sweat, it draws out any bacteria that might be in the wound. That's one of the reasons why they say honey is good for sore throats. So I dab it on, come back a day or two later, wash it off, and reapply if necessary. And honey is non-toxic so if he licks his nose it's okay. Obviously just apply a very thin layer, just barely enough to cover the area.

Personal success stories with honey:
-Guinea pig that got it's ear bitten by another
-Rescue gecko with bloody toes from a particularly bad shed
-Ball python that squeezed himself into a rock hide and scraped open his back
-Ball python that got it's head stuck, and ripped some scales getting out
-Rescue gecko with a bite on his head
-Gecko with bites from mating
-etc...

And just for good measure- I got this information from a vet

 

[Ozy]

Honey is a good idea! I definitely would want to go the more natural route. Vaseline isn't harmful, they put petroleum jelly in hairball stuff for cats to eat. Your leo might have a nice poop though! LOL! But then again I'm no expert. I would try the honey... *nod nod*

 

[ImNotYogi]

I've never tried honey with animal injuries. I don't have a taste for it so I never get any. I've always used Neosporin (with and without the added pain reliever) with any minor injuries my animals have had and haven't had issues with them getting sick if they licked it. I would think that it's matter of the dose. Either way, I noticed Archer's nose cracked open a little last night so I got my girlfriend to pick up an antibiotic on her way home from work. It's looking a lot better today.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

It looks red and sore to me but not an open wound. Personally, I would just keep his cage clean, provide a moist hide with paper towels, keep an eye on him, and leave it alone rather than putting anything on it. I only medicate beyond cleaning (like with saline, alcohol or hydrogen peroxide for open wounds) if unavoidably necessary as IMO it can do more harm than good. If you're super worried I don't think some plain Neosporin would be a bad idea but I would definitely stay far away from the one with pain relievers mixed in. I think the added moisture the neosporin gel would provide might be more help than the antibiotic in this case.

 

[Kylerbassman]

Honey is actually a very good idea. I have heard this being used for cuts and illness in people. Just read a big article on ways of using honey for treatment on many different types of injuries, along with cinnamon, although I would only use the honey on the Leo.

 

[ImNotYogi]

It looks red and sore to me but not an open wound. Personally, I would just keep his cage clean, provide a moist hide with paper towels, keep an eye on him, and leave it alone rather than putting anything on it. I only medicate beyond cleaning (like with saline, alcohol or hydrogen peroxide for open wounds) if unavoidably necessary as IMO it can do more harm than good. If you're super worried I don't think some plain Neosporin would be a bad idea but I would definitely stay far away from the one with pain relievers mixed in. I think the added moisture the neosporin gel would provide might be more help than the antibiotic in this case.

A few hours after the picture was taken his nose cracked open a little. It's not fully healed yet but it closed up. His tank was cleaned out on Saturday but I need to get better hides, I think. I've had those cheap wood ones since I got him.

 

[Duster]

Yeah I would say avoid those wood hides like the plague. The previous leo I had shed once and he ended up cutting his eyelid on the wood. As soon as I saw that I dumped the wood hide and replaced it with a different one.

 

[Phoenix1115]

I use all "synthetic" hides. My leos really like cleaned toilet paper rolls. I also have a Kureg cup box in one tank that my babies love. Both are "free" and easily replaceable! And for the other hides I use the ones that are way over priced from pet stores lol. like the caves and what not